Amanda Lighthouse

An Unexpected Twist

If you'd have told me 10 years ago that I would move to South Africa and become deeply involved in animal rescue, I would have laughed heartily as nothing could have been further from my mind.

My plan was to find my Caribbean island, move there and live happily ever after, it turns out that God had other plans for me and here I am, living in South Africa, surrounded by animals!

Even though my life is nothing like I imagined it to be, I'm happier than I've ever been and am surrounded by so much love that my heart is full, happy and complete.

Our First Friends

When we first moved to South Africa, we lived in a cul-de-sac in a small beach town, there were always kids outside playing and dogs roaming freely and our first friends were the neighbours dogs!

They came to visit us daily and would spend many hours with us whilst their families were out and we gradually began offering them snacks, shelter from the rain and a warm place to sleep.

Not having any children or animals of my own, this is how my love affair with animals began.

Into The Light

One of the many things I love about Scarborough is the quality of the light, which is so pure that at first, it almost hurt my eyes, probably because I'm a mole in a hole who likes to live inside!

After the dogs, came Stephan and Margaret, lifelong friends who introduced me to the spiritual side of life and the deep wells of wisdom of the bible.

As my curiosity, interest and learning increased, I found solace, safety and serenity, followed by a deep connection that planted me firmly in fertile ground.

From Beach House To Mountain Ark

I am a beach girl at heart but something was stirring in my spirit and we decided to move to the mountain for space, seclusion and silence and this was the place I chose to set down roots.

Our family grew to include more dogs and then along came the cats and the five star service we provided to them attracted an entire colony!

It stands to reason that if God commissions you to build an ark, then He also sends you a bunch of animals, and it seemed only fitting to name our little piece of heaven Amanda's Ark!

Deep Reflection & Revelation

We are surrounded by rock, our house is built on rock and biblically, God is the Rock, and as I deepened in the Word, I began to feel connected to the Source of all things.

I am not perfect and I still make mistakes but despite this, I am training myself to empty myself out and allow God to to guide my steps.

I have always been a person who serves and this way of living takes service and leadership to a whole new level.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Having so many animals in my care means an endless stream of decisions and every decision has to be made through rigorous assessment, based on wide and deep knowledge.

The standard is perfection and it's a lot to live up to, but where we fail, grace takes over, and beyond that, we have to let go and let God.

In this way, the seemingly impossible becomes possible, doors of opportunity open that are invisible to the naked eye and we are constantly amazed at the blessings that are poured out.

My Role As Chief Servant To The Animals

It's not easy having so many lives in my hands, I have to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of whether I'm on holiday, sick, with friends or resting.

I can't leave the animals for too long with other people, as no matter how good my guys are, and they really are the best, they are not me, and when one person is missing, their absence is felt.

Whilst this is the hardest and most responsible position I have ever been in, it is an honour and a privilege and the rewards of love, passion and growth are tremendous.

Natural Health & Wellbeing

As part of giving my animals the best, whilst minimising their exposure to harmful chemicals and increasing their wellbeing, lifespans and joy, our protocols are based on a natural diet.

We cook for them as often as we can and even our parasite protection and prevention programme is achieved through natural means via supplementing their food and drinking water.

I go to great lengths to seek out the best holistic vets in the world in order to learn from their decades of experience, and health, natural resistance to disease and vitality is the driving force.

Prayers, Miracles & Blessings

Through dogged determination, a refusal to never give up and an endless supply of miracles, prayers and blessings, we are always able to generate impossible outcomes. 

There are very few animal lovers who go to the extreme levels that we go to, and it comes from a place of passion, faith and total commitment.

There are no compromises, no risks and no stone left unturned and because of this, we live an extraordinary life and are deeply humbled on a daily basis.

A Personal Investment

Every single person who is directly involved dedicates their whole heart and gives all of themselves, all of the time.

For me personally, looking after the animals has become a labour of love and every person and animal is taken care of from my personal finances which I have long since exhausted.

The expenses are enormous, although money is never a guiding factor, and I wonder every month how I'm going to cover everything, but God takes care of us and I am always in awe. 

An Invitation

We are Trusted Guardians to those in our care, we are all they have and our animals need us to be fully equipped as they depend on us completely.

This puts us in an enormous position of trust, with great responsibility on our shoulders and it is our duty to take care of God's creation in a righteous way.

I share our journey to motivate, inspire and enlighten and I invite you to become part of our lighthouse family so that together, we can shine even brighter.